Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act

House Bill

H.R. 7491

119th Congress

Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 11, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Madeleine Dean

D - PA

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary

The Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act aims to ensure that people accused of crimes receive adequate legal representation that accounts for modern digital evidence like cell phone data, social media posts, and electronic communications. The bill recognizes that as criminal cases increasingly rely on complex digital evidence, defense attorneys need proper resources and expertise to effectively represent their clients in the 21st century.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Introduced2/11/2026

StatusReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

ChamberHouse

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act

The Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act aims to ensure that people accused of crimes receive adequate legal representation that accounts for modern digital evidence like cell phone data, social media posts, and electronic communications. The

Community Breakdown

Pass

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Fail

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The Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act aims to ensure that people accused of crimes receive adequate legal representation that accounts for modern digital evidence like cell phone data, social media posts, and electronic communications. The bill recognizes that as criminal cases increasingly rely on complex digital evidence, defense attorneys need proper resources and expertise to effectively represent their clients in the 21st century.

Bill Number: 7491
Introduced: 2/11/2026
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Policy Area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act
Bill Number: 7491
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced: 2/11/2026
Summary: The Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act aims to ensure that people accused of crimes receive adequate legal representation that accounts for modern digital evidence like cell phone data, social media posts, and electronic communications. The bill recognizes that as criminal cases

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

The Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act aims to ensure that people accused of crimes receive adequate legal representation that accounts for modern digital evidence like cell phone data, social media posts, and electronic communications. The bill recognizes that as criminal cases increasingly rely on complex digital evidence, defense attorneys need proper resources and expertise to effectively represent their clients in the 21st century.

Last updated: 2/23/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Updates the constitutional right to effective legal counsel to address challenges posed by digital evidence in criminal cases
Would likely require defense attorneys to have access to technology experts and digital forensics specialists when electronic evidence is used against defendants
Addresses the growing gap between prosecution resources for analyzing digital evidence and what's available to public defenders and court-appointed attorneys
Ensures fair trials in an era where smartphones, computers, and online activity are routinely used as evidence in criminal prosecutions

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would primarily affect criminal defendants, particularly those who cannot afford private attorneys, by strengthening their access to expertise needed to challenge digital evidence. Public defender offices and court-appointed attorney programs would likely receive additional resources or guidelines for handling cases involving electronic evidence. The legislation could level the playing field in criminal courts where prosecutors often have significantly more resources to analyze digital data than defense attorneys.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

7491, 119th Congress (2026). "Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-7491